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Attila the Hun
By Erin Tillery
external image attila_the_hun.jpg

Attila the Hun was the leader of the Huns and a world conqueror. The Huns, all raging, unorganized, killing, warriors were tamed by Attila and he led them to success. He only conquered places such as Asia and Europe, but was known as a world conqueror because during the 5th Century, people didn’t know about the other places in the world. He was a famous warrior who led the Huns to many successful battles in the 400s A.D. Attila took his violent warriors and attacked all the countries that surrounded the Hun’s home, Mongolia, Asia. As Attila’s greed increased, he felt entitled to the other lands that surrounded places he already conquered. Thus his greed, his success, power, and his kingdom kept growing and growing.

Attila was born around 400 A.D., in Hunnia. Hunnia was a part of Mongolia, Asia. Like most Huns he was skilled in horseback and archery. He enjoyed the game of war, but he was also fond of art, magic, and poetry. He was born as Prince of Hunnia. When his father died in 434 A.D., he and his brother, Bleda, shared the reign. In 445 A.D., he became too greedy and power hungry, and murdered Bleda for the right to the throne. Attila became the sole leader of the Huns.

He lived in Asia most of his life, but he also lived in the places that he conquered. The Huns mostly settled in central Europe, north of the Roman Empire. Attila was violent and created a feud between the Huns and the Roman Empire. Before Attila was born, the Huns destroyed the Kingdom of the Ostsogoths in the mid A.D. 370. Attila invaded most of the far and near east of Europe. Attila led the Huns to many successful wars against the Persian Empire in the near east. He defeated the Caucaus region that separated Europe from the Middle East. From 435 to 439 A.D., Attila ruled many Germanic people and land in eastern and central Europe. He controlled a region in Europe from the Danube River to the Baltic Sea and from the Rhine River to the Caspian Sea. The Huns conquered much of Pannonia, a region in present day Hungary. He consolidated the Hun’s rule over many Germanic, Slavic, Turkic, and Iranian tribes in central and eastern Europe.

Attila invaded Gaul but was defeated in 451 A.D. After his failed attempt to overthrow Gaul, he conquered Italy, and had complete control over it. On his second attempt, he finally overran most of Gaul. The Huns scared the Byzantine Empire into a peace treaty; the agreement meant that the Byzantine Empire would pay them to not invade. But when they couldn’t make the payments, the Huns attacked. Attila seriously threatened the eastern and western Roman Empires during periods when they were weak but he never had complete control over them.

He suffocated from a severe nose bleed in A.D. 453, during his marriage feast. Some people say that his wife, Ildiko, killed him because she was forced to marry him. In 450 A.D. he claimed Ildiko, sister of the western emperor Valentinian III, as his wife. He was buried with many of his treasures. No one knows exactly where he was buried because the slaves who buried him were killed to prevent them from revealing the location. Attila’s kingdom collapsed after his death and all of the prisoners and land he controlled were freed.

Attila the Hun was a strong and evil leader, but he was very successful. His greatest accomplishment was that he was able to unite the Huns, and lead them to so many victories. He was very determined to keep expanding his Empire. Most of Asia and Europe were in his hands at the height of his control, and he had quite a strong grasp. After he died, the countries and the people he held were freed. He held on to his Empire when he was alive, but his Empire crumbled after his death.

Bibliography
"" Hun. Britannica Elementary Encyclopedia. 2008. Encyclopedia Britannica Online School Edition. 24 April 2008. <http://school.eb.com/elementary/article?articleId=353274>

Vardy, Steve Bela, Attila. New York: Chelsea House, 1991.
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